Arjun Mukerji

The Hindu religious festival of Durga Puja has emerged as a significant socio-cultural event in the city of Kolkata, India, presenting dynamic urban transformations with instances of transitory architecture in the form of pandals (marquees typically found in India). Borrowing Roland Barthes’ concept of ‘readerly/writerly texts’, this research paper argues that the particular modes of representation employed in the design of pandals involve characteristically ‘readerly texts’ for communicating with the audience, and identifies Gregor Shcneider’s design of the Ekdalia Evergreen Club pandal, 2011, as a point of crisis, which forces the engaged observer to inscribe his own meaning in the face of uncertainty of representational content, giving rise to ‘writerly texts’. In the process, it reflects on how meaning may be inscribed in architecture, both by the architect and the audience, especially in a post-modern milieu.

The research paper analyses architectural languages employed in designing contemporary Hindu temples in India. Several temples, designed and built in contemporary times, continue with the traditional languages of Indian temple architecture. However, there are others, which depart from the traditional in various degrees and ways. The research argues that two distinct new architectural languages may be witnessed in these departures, which are identified as Modernist, and Post-Modernist – the latter, in turn, revisiting the relevance of the Post-Modern in contemporary Indian architecture. The analysis inspects the differing ‘design paradigms’ – consisting of intentions, which are manifested by adopting particular strategies, and employing a selection of suitable tropes. This conceptual framework of analysis is an original contribution of the paper. The interpretive and argumentative investigation involves selected illustrative case studies, and employs primary visual appraisals, interviews, as well as material available from secondary sources. The characteristics of the languages are established through the research findings and are presented through a comparative matrix indicating the salient features. In the process, the research revisits some existing critical analyses, and at times, reinterprets and supplements them.

The research paper analyses architectural languages employed in designing contemporary Hindu temples in India. Several temples, designed and built in contemporary times, continue with the traditional languages of Indian temple architecture. However, there are others, which depart from the traditional in various degrees and ways. The research argues that two distinct new architectural languages may be witnessed in these departures, which are identified as Modernist, and Post-Modernist – the latter, in turn, revisiting the relevance of the Post-Modern in contemporary Indian architecture. The analysis inspects the differing ‘design paradigms’ – consisting of intentions, which are manifested by adopting particular strategies, and employing a selection of suitable tropes. This conceptual framework of analysis is an original contribution of the paper. The interpretive and argumentative investigation involves selected illustrative case studies, and employs primary visual appraisals, interviews, as well as material available from secondary sources. The characteristics of the languages are established through the research findings and are presented through a comparative matrix indicating the salient features. In the process, the research revisits some existing critical analyses, and at times, reinterprets and supplements them.

Protection of historic monuments and precincts of significant heritage and cultural value is commonly exercised through various legal instruments. However, each heritage monument and precinct also requires a setting to establish its context. The setting should provide an appropriate linkage to the monument and precinct, and needs some form of control mechanism to ensure that future development is sympathetic to the protected site and enhances its appreciation. In India, the ‘Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 2010’, addresses this issue, to take care of the sensitive dynamics of conservation and development in areas surrounding protected monuments and precincts. This entails making Heritage Bye-laws, regulations and guidelines, with an inbuilt flexibility to cater to the changing needs and aspirations of the surrounding community, yet preserving the inherent character of the setting. This paper discusses some visual simulation methods to support formulation of such instruments, adopted in three particular cases in India. In particular, the methods contribute towards (i) conservation planning for heritage districts, (ii) formulation of site-specific byelaws based on existing scenario, (iii) assessment of visual impact of future construction, and (iv) preparation of enabling  design guidelines for infill/new construction. The methodology uses view control study and visual simulation techniques as decision tools, and illustrates how translation of vernacular idioms may be employed in formulating design guidelines to ensure a consonance in built form.